


All Hollow's Fright- Strawberrry Fields Forever 10.5?

by surveycorpsftw



Category: Bleach, Bleach- Tite Kubo, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: All Hollow's Eve by Junko, Gen, Junko - Freeform, Promise, Sorry Not Sorry, couldn't help myself, fanfic of a fanfic, starts dark but it's not!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 04:06:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1373317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surveycorpsftw/pseuds/surveycorpsftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Strawberrry Fields Forever 10.5 (.g.)’</p><p>Mme. Pomfrey's reaction when she finds Ichigo 'dead'...and the events that follow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Hollow's Fright- Strawberrry Fields Forever 10.5?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [junko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/gifts).
  * Inspired by [All Hollow's Eve](https://archiveofourown.org/works/735139) by [junko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko). 



> I’m sorry soo sorry (not sorry) but I just couldn’t help myself. This little tidbit sprung up practically fully-grown and all ready just as I finished reading ‘All Hollow’s Eve’ by Junko. So...this is a fanfic of her fanfic? lol...a possibility of a future, I guess…
> 
> Oh, erm...this *was* supposed to be a short little one-shot. but...it's not so short. sorry. OTL
> 
> Strawberrry Fields Forever 10.5 (.g.)’

 

 

* * *

 

Fred picked up his pace as much as he could. Ichigo felt colder than any human had any right to be, and while he was heavy, he wasn’t ‘passed out’ heavy, he seemed almost...’empty’ heavy. Like when he and George found that dead Crup once, and its weight felt different somehow than that of an unconscious animal. After the third time that he almost tripped over Ichigo’s feet-damn him for being 15 and so damn tall- he paused and switched his arm-over-shoulder-arm-around-waist hold to a princess carry- fuck Ichigo’s pride, if he was really seriously ill- even in his mind, Fred refused to think the alternative- it really wouldn’t matter if anyone saw him carrying him like this.

 

“-ed! FRED!”

 

“What, George?”

 

“I’ve been calling your name like a thousand times! What’s wrong? Why are you running damnit!”

 

“George, I was serious- Ichigo feels too cold. We need to get him to Mme. Pomfrey.” He ducked behind a tapestry that would let him bypass two whole floors, George hurrying behind him. “Maybe those weird mini-Death Eaters did something to him? That little chick had a mask- a weird one, but it was a mask, wasn’t it?”

 

“Yeah, it was.”

 

“Wonder what Ichigo needed to do with them?”

 

“Other than them attacking Ichigo? Dunno.”

 

A long hallway, a last turn- there, the infirmary.

 

George ran ahead and pulled open the doors as he yelled “Mme. Pomfrey! We’ve got a serious emergency!”

 

Fred joined in as he ran in, heading to the bed closest to the potions cupboard and Mme’s office- usually Harry’s bed. Fred didn’t think Harry would mind. “Mme. Pomfrey! HELP! I THINK HE’S DYING!”

 

“Sweet Merlin boys, what’s all the racket? What have you done now?” Mme. Pomfrey runs out of her office, one hand straightening her hat as the other pulls out her wand.

 

“Mme. Ichigo fainted once on a hallway, and we followed him to tease him, but then he fainted again and he’s cold, too cold, we think he’s really ill.” Fred laid Ichigo out on the bed and stepped back to give the mediwitch space to work. Blindly, his hand reached out to George, who clasped his and entwined their fingers together. They may not be close friends- or even friends at all- with the Japanese student, but still it was frightening that they may have been the last ones to speak with him or see him alive. They needed comfort and reassurance, and who better than each other?

 

* * *

 

Mme. Pomfrey did a quick scan with her wand as she drew near. When the results came back- pulse: none, heart rate: none, breathing: none, blood pressure: none, mental activity: none, body temperature: cooling- she froze for a few seconds, before taking the last few steps and reaching the child’s bed. Shakily, she recast the diagnostic charm.

 

Same results.

 

Taking a deep breath, she cast yet another.

 

Same.

 

Heart thudding in her ribcage, she now cast one that would tell her time of death.

 

8 minutes ago.

 

Next charm: Cause of death?

 

~Inconclusive.

 

Mme. Pomfrey reached out a hand and tried to fix the child’s hair. Oh sweet Merlin. A child had died within these walls, and now they’d have to notify his parents. Shakily, Mme. Pomfrey spelled the sheet on the bed over the body, covering him from head to toe.

 

That done, she sent out a message spell to Pomona- his head of house- and one to Minerva, as Deputy Headmistress, in Dumbledore’s absence. Oh Merlin, didn’t Kurosaki have a younger sister in Gryffindor? A first year? Just a baby, really…

 

Absentmindedly, Mme. Pomfrey spelled the curtains around the bed closed, and set a proximity ward that would alert her should anyone come near. She turned from the bed, intent on heading to her office to wait for Pomona and Minerva, when she spotted the Weasley twins, pale and shaking, holding hands so tightly their knuckles were white, staring at her. Oh sweet Morgana, she’d forgotten all about them.

 

Summoning two Calming Droughts, she moved towards the frozen twins.

 

“Drink this, dears. It’ll help with the shock.”

 

For once in their lives, Fred and George obeyed without question or hesitance.

 

“Now, come here, yes, that’s it. Here, just lay here for a bit, alright? That’s it. Just rest dears.” Mme. Pomfrey lay them down on a bed as far away from Kurosaki’s as she could, but she was afraid that the damage had been done. Pranksters and troublesome they may be, but the Weasley twins were still children- younger even than Kurosaki. They were barely 12! And they’d had to carry the body of their older classmate to the infirmary from who-knows-where. Poor dears. Once they were both settled in the bed- she’d have to be crazy or beyond cruel to try to separate them now- she set a monitoring charm on them and finally turned to her office. Guess now she’d have to also pen a letter to Molly Weasley, to inform her that two of her children had witnessed a classmate’s passing and might need some time at home.

 

Just as she was about to close the door to her office, she heard two sets of footsteps heading unerringly to the infirmary. A few seconds later, the doors opened to admit Minerva, face serious and worried, and Pomona, just plain worry on her face.

 

“Poppy, what’s happened? I was in the middle of my 5th year class when I got your message. It said it was urgent?” Minerva saw the twins on the bed, strangely pale and drawn, shaking and holding on to each other like she’d never seen, not even when they’d been first years, or before the sorting. “What’s happened to Messrs. Weasley?” Minerva began to turn towards them.

 

“Come, Minerva, Pomona. Let’s discuss this in my office.”

 

* * *

 

George came to first. He still felt shaky, he still felt horrified, but now he also felt that his mind was kinda-sorta putting itself back together. Like he was waking up from a long, long, looong nap. He turned to look at Fred. Fred, who was still staring at nothing, eyes wide and unseeing. George enveloped his twin in a tight embrace, sitting up and dragging Fred into his lap so he could curl around him better.

 

George felt as Fred came back into himself, slowly and with obvious reluctance.

 

“George?” a small voice asked.

 

“Fred?” he answered, just as low.

 

“Is Ichi- is Ichigo really--”

 

“Yeah, he is.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

…

 

“We should tell his sister.”

 

“I don’t think they’d let us.”

 

“But we’d want to know if something happened to Bill or Charlie or Percy.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

At that moment, the door to the office opened, and Mme. Pomfrey, Prof. McGonagall, and Prof. Sprout came out of the office. Prof. McGonagall saw that they were awake and instantly made her way to them, Mme. Pomfrey and Prof. Sprout trailing behind her.

 

“Messrs. Weasley- Fred, George, how are you feeling?”

 

George answered for both of them, “We’re ok.”

 

“Do you need any more calming draught?”

 

“No, we’re fine.”

 

“Alright, I just have a few questions for you boys before I take you back to the tower. Did you see what happened to Mr. Kurosaki?”

 

Fred squeezed George’s hand. Silently, they decided to keep to themselves the fact that Ichigo had gone to meet with some strange Death Eaters-wannabes. He was gone, they had obviously wanted to fight him, and now there was no sense in dirtying his memory.

 

George again spoke up. “Well, we first saw Ichigo going up the seventh floor staircase, and he fainted when Peeves took his cat-ears headband away. Peeves looked scared and threw the headband down and flew away. Ichigo woke up almost right after, and got up like nothing had happened. He looked for the headband, and when he saw that it was broken, he stood back up from where he had bent to pick it up and kicked them aside. He looked really mad- but not mad-mad, more like sad-mad. Like Peeves had killed his cat. Then he opened the door to an empty classroom, and we followed him in to tease him about fainting because of Peeves, but he saw us and told us to leave. That he wanted to be alone and needed to do some stuff by himself. Then he fainted again out of nowhere. We picked him up and dragged him out of the classroom, then Fred started running and left me to catch up. It was because Ichigo was cold. Then we got here.” George let his voice die off. They should know the story from there on.

 

“So you didn’t see him get into any fights, or anyone curse him? He didn’t fall down the stairs when he fainted the first time? Maybe he hit his head too hard?” McGonagall asked.

 

The twins shook their heads. Fred answered this time. “No, when Peeves scared him he’d already reached the landing, so when he fainted it was on flat floor. It didn’t sound like he hit his head all that hard, either. We also didn’t see him get cursed by anyone or anything.” There, that wasn’t a lie, was it? They *didn’t* see him get cursed, just get kicked by that strange-girl-Death-Eater and talked to by that other blond in Japanese.

 

McGonagall heaved a deep sigh. “Alright. Let’s go back to Gryffindor tower. You’re both excused from classes for the rest of the day and tomorrow, ok? I’ll talk with your professors. However, don’t go spreading this around, you hear? This is a serious matter, and we have yet to inform his father or the Headmaster of this.”

 

“Where is Professor Dumbledore?”

 

“Away on business. Now go on. I’ll be right behind you.”

 

Pomona spoke up before Minerva left, “I’ll be in my office composing my letter of condolences to Mr. Kurosaki.”

 

“Yes, yes. I’ll write the official one just in case Professor Dumbledore doesn’t come back soon.”

 

“I’ll be filing the report in my office. Excuse me, Professors.” Mme. Pomfrey turned back to her office. This had been the first time a child had died while under her care. While technically he’d already arrived dead to her infirmary, she still felt somehow responsible.

 

Amidst all the whispering and urging of the Weasley twins to get off the bed and walk, no one noticed little Ravenclaw Marietta Edgecombe quietly getting off her own bed- where she’d been sleeping off a severe headache- and leaving the infirmary before anyone else.

 

This was big news indeed.

 

* * *

 

Kurosaki Karin was calmly doing her homework in the library. She’d tried doing it in her house common room, so that she could have helped the other girls- Parvati and Lavender, right?- if they needed it, seeing as they for some reason seemed to prefer her to Her-mi-o-ne Granger, the other girl who was good at school work, but it was too noisy. She couldn’t concentrate.  The library seemed as great a place as any. Ichi-nii would sometimes come here and keep her company or help her out too, so that was a big plus.

 

She was almost done with her last essay on Charms when Karin became aware of an odd hissing sound from all around her. It seemed to go up and down- like waves on the ocean. Curious, she looked up and around- and the hissing stopped abruptly. Almost everyone was either looking at her or shooting her glances. She blinked. Did she have ink on her face? Karin swiftly swiped at her cheeks and forehead, but her hands came away clean. Huh. Oh well. With a generalized glare at those around her, Karin turned back to her essay, intent on ignoring the whispers, whatever they may be about. If it was a rumor about her, she’d clear that out later. If it was a rumor about Ichi-nii, she’d punch it out later, too.

Just then, the library doors slammed open, causing everyone- including Karin- to look over. Madame Pince glared and hissed a ferocious ‘Quiet!’ to the culprit: a panting Cedric Diggory. He quickly walked over to the librarian and whispered something to her. The fierce, no-emotion-other-than-disgust-and-anger librarian seemed shocked and paled drastically. She shot a glance over at Karin, and then nodded at Cedric and seemed to forgive him for his transgression.

 

Cedric turned and looked around, looking for someone. Karin began to feel dread in her chest. Why was everyone whispering about earlier? Why did Mme. Pince look over at her like that?

Cedric’s eyes found hers, and his face spoke of sorrow and regret. He began walking over to Karin.

 

Karin put down her quill- although she missed her pens and pencils, she thought that maybe quills were easier than the brushes of her calligraphy class- and closed her book, pushing her essay to the side.

 

“Karin,” Cedric stopped beside her for a moment before drawing out the chair beside her and taking a seat sideways on it, facing her.

 

“Yes, Diggory-san?”

 

“I’m so, so sorry. I just heard about Ichigo. I’d like to express, on my behalf and that of my house, the Hufflepuffs, our deepest condolences. If there’s anything you need, anything at all, just say the word. Ichigo was a good person, and we’ll all miss him terribly.”

 

Karin stared. Con-do-len-ce-ssu. What did that word mean again? It sure sounded like something horrible, from Diggory-san’s face and his apologizing. They’ll miss Ichi-nii? Did Ichi-nii leave? Why did he leave her behind? No, no Ichi-nii wouldn’t leave her behind if he left. He’d take her with him- they weren’t in Japan at home anymore, so he couldn’t just leave like back home. Here she’d be alone if he left.

 

“Conu-do-renu-ce-su…conu-doren-cesu?”

 

Diggory-san seemed to realize that she didn’t know what that word meant. “Uh...our condolences...um, er...We’re sorry for your brother’s death.”

 

Karin’s blood turned to ice in her veins. Ichi-nii….dead? She shook her head. “No, no. Ichi-nii’s not dead. He’s having dinner with me tonight. Where is he?”

 

“Karin…” Cedric was stunned. No one had told Karin? Oh Merlin...what had he done? Since everyone knew already, he figured that a professor had already talked to her. “Karin, Ichigo was taken to the infirmary earlier. He was dead by the time he got there. There was nothing Mme. Pomfrey could do. I’m sorry.”

 

“Chigau! Chigau! O nīchan wa shinde inai!” Karin yelled, tears starting to form behind her eyes. They made her mad. She shouldn’t be crying. This was a misunderstanding. She looked over at Mme. Pince, expecting her to be glaring at her and coming to throw her out for making a racket in the library- but the stern woman was only looking at her in pity, making no move to shush her or kick her out.

 

That scared Karin more than anything Diggory-san could have said.

 

Cedric only understood the ‘oniishan’ part of Karin’s yell, which he knew meant ‘older brother’- but he got the gist of what she meant. Probably some variation of ‘my brother’s not dead’. Distressed, Cedric moved to hug the little firstie- but she moved away. With a glare eerily reminiscent of her beloved older brother, she stood up and put her things away.

 

“Where is Ichi-nii?” Karin glared at Diggory-san, daring him to tell her that horrible thing again.

 

“He’s...he’s in the infirmary.” Cedric felt horrible for having to be the one to break the news to Karin.

 

Karin nodded and turned, pushing her chair in and walking quickly- definitely not running, no of course not, she didn’t believe that about Ichi-nii- to the doors of the library. Once she was out, she shed her pride and ran as fast as she could in the direction most likely to lead to the infirmary. Students in the halls moved out of her way, whispering and pointing. Karin ignored them all, running running running until she couldn’t breathe, and when she still hadn’t found the infirmary, she turned to the nearest person- a pale, pale boy in the green robes, who’d been laughing at something but who froze when she grabbed him by his lapels- and growled, “Where’s the infirmary?”  The boy looked terrified and Karin made a mental note to apologize to him later, once all this misunderstanding with Ichi-nii was cleared up, but right now she just shook him when he didn’t answer quickly enough for her, and he pointed a shaking finger to the left, and said, “Down that hallway, go into the second hall to the left, it’s at the very end.” and she let go of him and ran with a shouted “Arigatōgozaimashita!”

 

Just as she passed the first hallway, however, an arm came out and caught her around her middle, bodily picking her up and stopping her from running.

 

“Tebanasu! Tebanasu! Yamete yo! Onegai!” Karin thrashed and screamed as she felt herself being moved away from the infirmary. She tried to kick or elbow her captor, but her arms were pinned and whoever was carrying her was ignoring her kicks. “Letu go! Letu go! Sutopu! ANIKI!!! ANIKI!! ICHI-NII!!!!” Desperate, Karin _reached_ and that energy that surrounded her Ichi-nii responded, and she _pushed_ it towards her right leg and extended it, before snapping it back with as much strength as she had and she _heard_ and _felt_ a _snap_ of bone, and a shout of surprise and pain sounded in her ear, then the arms holding her let go and she fell but she rolled and sprung up on her feet and once again she _ran_ as fast as she could back towards that hallway but she hears something shouted behind her and she runs faster but she feels a spell hit her almost as she reaches the corner and she _pushes_ and tries so hard to keep running and she forces that power like Ichi-nii’s into her legs again and her legs keep moving but it gets harder like running through natto and then her vision starts fading and she feels herself falling and she reaches out a hand to grab the edge of the wall to maybe pull herself forward just a bit more…

 

And then Karin knows no more.

 

* * *

  
  


Minerva leans against the nearest wall, gasping in pain. She aims a numbing charm at her right knee- shattered, completely shattered, by an 11yr old, tiny slip of a girl- and transfigures a splint for it, attaching it before taking a deep breath and walking towards Karin Kurosaki. Well. Seems someone had told the child that her older brother was dead before she could find her to do so herself. As she can now not bend down to pick her up, she levitates the sleeping girl and, after making sure to re-cast the sleeping spell, turns to the infirmary. She’ll have to see Poppy before heading to her office, as her knee is now in multiple pieces.

 

Before that, however, Minerva pauses and turns to glare at every one frozen in the hallway, probably at the spectacle that just happened. “Well? Go on, go on. Off to your classes you lot.” Students run left and right, and Minerva knows that by the time she reaches the infirmary, probably the whole castle will have learned what happened, that Karin Kurosaki broke down- and also broke Minerva’s knee- but she can’t bring herself to care. For once, she knows for sure that it wasn’t the Weasley twins who spread this around- when she arrived with them at Gryffindor tower, she was bombarded with questions and confirmations. She made her Gryffindors promise to leave the twins alone, but other than that, there wasn’t much she could do. She’d already sent a letter informing Mr. Kurosaki of the incident, and assumed he would show up here as soon as possible. Minerva had been on her way to find Karin after stopping at the infirmary to see if Poppy had finished the report that would have to be filed with the Ministry when she heard running feet and the wave of whispers and silence- taking a wild chance, Minerva paused at the corner and then grabbed at the small blur that tried to run past her.

 

Karin Kurosaki.

 

“Poppy?” Minerva calls out as she reaches the infirmary. She sets Karin down on the first available bed, before taking the very next one herself.

 

“Minerva? What’s the matt-oh no, what’s wrong with Miss Kurosaki? She’s not dead too, is she?” Poppy panics and all but runs towards the child.

 

“No, no. Calm down Poppy. It’s my knee. My right knee.”

 

“Whatever happened Minerva? You were fine a moment ago.”

 

“Miss Kurosaki happened.”

 

Poppy reached Minerva and scanned her knee. At the results, she gasped, “Oh Morgana and Mordred, did the child cast a bludgeoning curse at you? This knee is practically ground to dust!”

 

Minerva chuckled dryly. “No. She kicked me. While I was holding her up. From behind.”

 

Poppy gasped, “Miss Kurosaki _kicked_ you? From a close distance? How in Merlin’s name did she manage to do this much damage?”

 

“Honestly? I don’t know. I think perhaps she was so angry the used accidental magic and somehow channeled it through her foot. Her kicks at first were the normal-strength for a child her size and age, but all of a sudden, that last kick was...something else.”

 

“Well, there’s no way I can fix this without banishing the bone fragments and giving you Skele-Gro.”

 

“How long will it take for just my knee?”

 

“Hmm...about 45 minutes, give or take a few.”

 

Minerva sighed. “Alright. Just, please place a longer-lasting sleep spell on Miss Kurosaki. And might I have a Calming Draught or two for when I take her to my office to explain things to her and await her father.”

 

“Of course, Minerva.”

 

Minerva sighed. Of all the days for Professor Dumbledore to accept Minister Fudge’s invitation to lunch, why did it have to be this one?

 

* * *

  
  


Karin slowly felt herself coming awake. Where was she? Lying down on something. A bed? No. A couch? Probably. Why was she here? The last thing she remembered was that she was running. She had to get somewhere...but where? Karin groaned and rubbed her head, trying to make herself remember.

 

Ichi-nii. Diggory-san. Dead. Infirmary.

 

“Ichi-nii!” Karin sat up with a jolt and made to get off the couch- only that she couldn’t. She couldn’t get up.

 

“Miss Kurosaki, please calm down.”

 

Karin looked up with as fierce a glare as she could muster. McGonagall-sensei. “I need to see Ichi-nii!”

 

“I’m afraid that is out of the question, Miss Kurosaki. We will wait here for your father to arrive, then he will decide if you are allowed to see Mr. Kurosaki’s body.”

 

“Urusai. Do not talk about Ichi-nii that way. Let me see Ichi-nii.”

 

“The answer is no, Miss Kurosaki. No matter how many times you ask, it will remain a no.”

 

“I will see Ichi-nii.”

 

Minerva sighed. This girl was stubborn. Well, at least she wasn’t hysterical anymore. Or doing accidental magic. Her knee throbbed in remembered pain.

 

“Miss Kurosaki, it is not...advisable for someone as young as yourself to see something like that.”

 

“I do not care if it is adu-visa-bure or not. Ichi-nii is my O nīchan, you will not keep me away from him!”

 

Minerva was tempted to just put her to sleep again, but knew that was the coward’s way out, so she settled down- chair conveniently far enough away from Karin that the girl couldn’t hit her- to try to convince her to wait. Perhaps her father would arrive in the midst of their discussion, and he could pass her on to him.

 

“O nīchan!! O nīchan!!”

 

...and maybe a headache potion wouldn’t be amiss.

 

* * *

  
  


Kurosaki Isshin was relaxing. Classes had been canceled for today, he’d done all his homework- and work- Yuzu was at school and Ichigo and Karin were too. Well, at least Ichigo was sure to be _somewhere_ in the school building, even if he wasn’t in class. That son of his had an abysmal attendance record- but Isshin couldn’t find it in himself to bother him about it, since he always kept his grades up regardless.

 

With a sigh, Isshin took a sip of his tea, mind blissfully blank.

 

_Tap tap tap_

 

“Hmm?” Isshin turned to the window- there, a brown barn owl was staring at him, obviously waiting to be let in. “Who’d be writing to me?” Ichigo? Isshin scoffed at himself. Not even in his dreams. Karin wouldn’t either. Yuzu might, if she had gone to that school. As it was, she was more likely to give him a call than send mail by owl. And it’s not like he wouldn’t see her after school, either.

 

Once he relieved the owl of his letter, it let out a soft hoot and immediately flew away.

 

Dropping himself back on the comfortable couch, Isshin studied the letter. It had Hogwarts’ official seal, although he didn’t recognize the handwriting, so it wasn’t from the headmaster. Had Ichigo gotten into enough trouble already that they had to write to him?

 

With another sigh, he broke the seal and opened it.

 

_Dear Mr. Kurosaki,_

_It is my most regretful duty to inform you that your son, Ichigo Kurosaki, has met with an unfortunate incident that has resulted in his death. His body is currently being held in the Hogwarts’ Infirmary, and his younger sister, Karin Kurosaki, is in my office awaiting your arrival. Please accept my deepest condolences, on my behalf and that of the school._

_If there is anything you’d like done in specific as to Ichigo or Karin Kurosaki, please don’t hesitate to ask. Professor Pomona Sprout, Ichigo’s head of house, shall be waiting at the Apparition point in Hogsmeade for your arrival. She will guide you to either my office or the infirmary, as you may wish._

_My condolences,_

 

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

_Transfiguration Professor_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

 

Isshin didn’t breathe. He _couldn’t_ breathe. Ichigo...dead? They left Japan and traveled half-way across the world- he moved his whole family- to keep Ichigo away from the rising war with the Shinigami, and he dies _here_?!?

 

Isshin felt a hole open up in his chest.

 

No. No.

 

Ichigo was not dead. He was NOT dead. Surely someone would have told him something?

 

Kisuke. Kisuke would know.

 

Quickly, Isshin runs to his room and grabs his still half-unpacked suitcase. Throwing stuff about, he finally finds what he was looking for: a small, silver cellphone.

 

He dials.

 

“Moshi moshi~ How may this humble shopkeeper be of-”

 

“Cut the crap Kisuke. Is Ichigo dead?”

 

A pause. “What?”

 

“I’ve received a letter from the school saying that Ichigo’s dead. I want to know if it’s true. And if it is, so help me Kisuke but I will-”

 

“Hold on Isshin. I’ll contact Yoruichi.”

 

“Don’t take long.”

 

“I won’t.”

 

The dial tone came on.

 

* * *

  
  


Yoruichi crouched, hidden in the darkness of a deep doorway, eyes narrowed and staring at her prey. The oblivious being continued on it’s way, head held high and proud. Oooh, that face…

 

There could only be one Queen in the castle, and that was her, Yoruichi Shihōin,  ex-Captain of the Second Division, ex-Head of the Omnitsukidō, Head of the Shihōin Clan.

 

The arrogant Mrs. Norris needed to learn a lesson.

 

As she got closer to Yoruichi’s hiding place, Yoruichi reared back.

 

Almost.

 

Just a little bit more.

 

Almost…

 

Yes, just two more steps-

 

Beep beep beep beep

 

Mrs. Norris panicked and ran off.

 

Cursing, Yoruichi went into the classroom whose doorway she’d been using. Transforming back into a woman, she reached into the wizard-space in her collar and pulled out a Soul Pager.

 

“Kisuke, this had better be important, you interrupted something very serious.”

 

“Yoruichi, can you tell me where Ichigo is?”

 

“...what? You called to ask where Ichigo is? Kisuke I’m gonna skin you ali-”

 

“Yoruichi. Please.”

 

Yoruichi finally noticed the strained aspect of Kisuke’s voice. “Fine, give me a second.” She closed her eyes for better concentration and spread out her Spiritual Pressure, seeking Ichigo’s. She found Karin, who appeared distressed, from how her Spiritual Pressure was fluctuating. She found a few others who had more Spiritual Pressure than most. But she didn’t find Ichigo. She spread out onto the grounds, all the way to the lake and the forest and the village. Nothing.

 

“I guess he’s still training with your friends, I don’t sense him here. He was skipping class earlier today to do so.”

 

“The school sent a letter to Isshin informing him that he was dead.”

 

“Oh. Well, I’m pretty sure he isn’t. Find Shinji on your side, I’ll see if I can get in on that blasted room of requirements.”

 

“Will do. Let me know if you get in over there.”

 

* * *

 

Urahara Kisuke snapped the modified Soul Pager closed. Much as he’d try to deny it, he was worried, very worried. Ichigo wouldn’t have left his body just lying around, so either: a) he was dead, in which case he himself would be the next one because Isshin would kill him for having suggested the move, or b)someone had somehow stumbled across Ichigo’s body and run away with it to a figure of authority.

 

He was seriously hoping it was the second option. And not just for fear for his life, but also because he did care about Ichigo. Perhaps a bit more than he should- after all, he was only an annoying shopkeeper/Soul Reaper abilities trainer to the boy- but the fact was that he did care.

 

“Tessai!”

 

“Yes boss?”

 

“I’ll be going out for a bit. Please take good care of the children and mind the store.”

 

“Yes boss.”

 

Urahara went to his bedroom and left his gigai. Speed was essential here, and he couldn’t use Shunpo as fast in his gigai as he could in spirit form. That done, he made sure to leave the door locked and slipped out through a window.

 

He headed to the warehouse Shinji and the others had taken to hiding in.

 

Hopefully they’d have Ichigo with them.

 

* * *

 

Hachi hummed.

 

It was such a nice day.

 

Hiyori and Shinji were arguing with the Berry, Mashiro was entertained by watching them, Lisa and Rose were reading and Kensei was cooking something. Such a nice day.

 

Then he felt someone arrive at the ‘door’ of the Kidō dome he kept. Frowning, he concentrated on it.

 

Ah, it was just Urahara-san. He wasn’t ‘knocking’ asking to come in, he merely seemed curious about something- Spiritual Pressure really could tell a lot about someone’s motives and emotions.

 

Hachi ‘opened’ the ‘door’ to allow him entrance, but Urahara-san merely sent in a small, very small, tendril of Spiritual Pressure and seemed to look for someone. He bypassed all the Vizards, before arriving at the Berry’s. Once there, Urahara-san did the equivalent of a worried mother/friend/significant other patting down someone after being told they’ve been in an accident- only he did it with his Spiritual Pressure on the Berry’s Spiritual Pressure, and Berry-san was none the wiser about it. When he finished, Urahara-san retrieved his Spirit tendril, tapping on Hachi’s own as a ‘thanks’ before retreating from the dome. Hachi closed it down again and went back to meditating.

 

Hachi hummed.

 

It was such a nice day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Isshin paced all around the apartment they’d rented. It had been 20 minutes already and Kisuke hadn’t called back. Surely it didn’t take that long for him to contact Yoruichi?

 

Down the hallway. Around the living room. Back down the hallway. Around the kitchen. Hallway. Living room. Hallway. Kitchen. Hallway. Liv-

 

_Rrrin-_

 

Not letting even the first ring end, Isshin answered. “Yes?”

 

“He’s alive.”

 

Isshin dropped to the floor where he stood, a wave of relief so strong that he couldn’t see straight overtaking him.

 

“Thank Kami-sama. Oh Kami…”

 

“He’s training with the Vizards to help him control his- er, a little side-effect of his gaining his powers. Someone must have stumbled upon his body by accident and that’s why they’ve sent you that letter.”

 

Isshin let out a soul-deep sigh. “Thank you. Thank you, Kisuke.”

 

“Don’t mention it. Now I better call Yoruichi and let her know I’ve found him.”

 

“Alright. I’ll head to the school to try to fix things.”

 

“Be careful.”

 

“Always.”

 

Isshin let the phone slide from his hand when Kisuke hung up. His heart was still beating erratically, and he needed to take a few deep breaths to bring himself back under control.

 

Then he stood up and, after checking to make sure he was completely dressed, amassed as much Spiritual Pressure as he could and molded it into a trick Kisuke had taught him decades ago, a ‘spell’ from the wizards.

 

Isshin Apparated to Diagon Alley. He needed to buy himself some robes before going to Hogwarts.

 

* * *

 

“...ANIKI ANIKI ANIKI ANIKI ANIKI!!!!!”

 

Minerva sighed. Karin had been screaming variations of the same thing for 7 minutes straight now, and her head was about to burst. She didn’t want to ‘Silencio’ the child, afraid that might make things worse, but she couldn’t take the abuse anymore.

 

“Alright! Miss Kurosaki, I’ll allow you to visit your brother.”

 

Instant silence.

 

Blessed silence.

 

Minerva sighed in relief.

 

Karin glared at her. “Really?”

 

“Yes, really.”

 

“Well then, what am I still stuck here for, huh?”

 

“First I want you to promise me that you will NOT run ahead of me. We will both go to the infirmary, and we will walk there, in an orderly and proper manner, understand?”

 

“Hai.”

 

Minerva removed the sticking charm from Karin’s legs and bottom to the couch she’d transfigured from an armchair and set her free.

 

Together, they left the office, but not before Minerva gave Karin another look, to ascertain that she really wasn’t going to run off.

 

She seemed to be behaving now.

 

Minerva’s head gave another painful throb.

 

* * *

 

Yoruichi paced up and down the seventh-floor hallway. She knew the doorway was here, but for some reason it wasn’t showing itself to her, no matter how much she paced. She couldn’t feel Ichigo inside, either. Actually, she couldn’t feel anyone on the other side of the wall, so that was pointless.

 

_Beep beep beep beep_

 

Looking up and down the hall to make sure she was alone, Yoruichi transformed back into a human and once again took out the Soul Pager.

 

“Kisuke?”

 

“Yoruichi. I’ve found Ichigo. He’s in the warehouse with the Vizard, safe and sound.”

 

A sigh. “Told you. Is he coming back?”

 

“Ahm….I didn’t exactly let him know I was checking up on him.”

 

Yoruichi chuckled. “Pervert. Ok, I’ll wait here for him to come out and I’ll let him know what’s happened then.”

 

“Ah, oke oke. Thank you for helping such a humble shop keep-”

 

“Ah, can it Kisuke. Go and keep on pining over your love, but I will suggest that, if you don’t want to let Ichigo know what happened here, at least suggest to the Vizard that they cut today’s visit short. I think the news have gotten to Karin, I felt her get distressed a while ago.”

 

A huff. “I am not pining.”

 

“Bye~ Kisuke.”

 

“See you later.”

 

* * *

  
  


Karin worked hard to hide her trembling. She was terrified. It had been so long since Diggory-san had told her that her aniki was dead, and she hadn’t felt him in school like she usually could feel him in Karakura before. He also hadn’t responded to her screaming- that was precisely why she’d done that, too. Screaming and yelling and screeching her head off (‘aniki, O nīchan, Ichi-nii’) trying to get him to come. She’d never done that before, but she was sure, absolutely positive, that if Ichi-nii was anywhere in the school, he’d have heard her and come to her.

 

He hadn’t.

 

And that scared Karin more than she wanted to admit. She wanted Yuzu with her. And her tousan, too.

 

It was hard to not run ahead of McGonagall-sensei. But Karin knew that if she did, then maybe- most likely- she wouldn’t be allowed to see Ichi-nii at all, and that just couldn’t happen. So she forced herself to walk slowly and quietly, only slightly in front of McGonagall-sensei.

 

When they were about to turn into the hallway leading directly to the infirmary, Karin turned back to McGonagall-sensei. Maybe she’d be allowed to run now?

 

A shake of her head and pursing of her lips was her answer.

 

Karin growled. But she stayed walking by McGonagall-sensei’s side.

 

They were now at the doors to the infirmary. McGonagall-sensei opened the door but blocked the way.

 

“Miss Kurosaki. Are you sure you’d not rather wait for your father? I’ve already notified him of the events, and he must be on his way.”

 

“I want to see O nīchan.”

 

A sigh. “Alright.” She stepped out of the way.

 

Karin walked in slowly. It was hard to move now. Her eyes scanned the infirmary.

 

Empty bed. Empty bed. Empty bed. Empty bed. Empty bed. Empty bed.

 

Curtains drawn.

 

A gasp escaped her. Heedless of McGonagall-sensei’s orders now, Karin ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

 

Faintly, she heard running footsteps behind her, and she saw a door by the curtained bed open and someone step out.

 

Reaching the bed, Karin pushed aside the curtains and took the last steps to the bed and grabbed the sheet covering the body on it.

 

Feeling someone come up behind her, Karin feared that they’d not allow her to pull the sheet back, so she janked and tore it off the bed.

 

“Miss Kurosaki!”

 

There was Ichi-nii. Karin moved until her stomach and upper-thighs hit the bed. Her eyes ran all over her O nīchan- his face, his arms, torso, legs...there were no injuries. None.

 

No blood. No broken bones. Not even any bruises.

 

She grabbed his hand.

 

Yes, there it was- a little bit of Ichi-nii’s Spirit thing. It was still surrounding his body- it was faint, very faint, and only because she was touching him skin-to-skin could she feel it, but it was there. Like all those times back in Karakura.

 

Karin became aware that someone was speaking behind her.

 

“...he was brought here too late. There was nothing that could be done. Like Professor McGonagall has informed you, your family should be arriving soon. You are welcome to wait here if you’d like, child. I’ll bring a chair up for you.”

 

Karin spoke up. “No, that’s not necessary.” She’d stopped shaking now. Her heart was at peace once again.

 

“Miss Kurosaki?”

 

“Ichi-nii’s not dead.”

 

Karin let go of the limp hand and turned and walked away. Just before she left the infirmary, she turned her head and called back to the still frozen women, “He’ll wake up later, just leave him be.”

  
  
  
  


Omake:

 

Isshin felt satisfied that he’d found some proper robes. Sure, they were a bright purple, but they complimented his hair!

 

All set now, he concentrated and once again did that wizard trick ‘apparition’ to arrive at Hogsmeade.

 

When he opened his eyes, he saw a short, plump witch with fly-away greying hair under a pointed hat looking extremely depressed.

 

“Sprout-sensei?”

 

The woman looked up. “Mr. Kurosaki?”

 

“Yes, that’s me. Could we go up to the infirmary please? I’d like to see my son.”

 

“Of course sir. If you’ll follow me.”

 

As they walked up the path to the school, the sensei started speaking. “Mr. Kurosaki, I must express my deepest condolences for what’s happened. This must be truly horrible for you and your family, and I’d like to just say that Ichigo was a wonderful young lad, always with a helping hand or kind word for those that needed it. He even took in several young ones under his wing! We will greatly miss his presence at school. Professor McGonagall is currently with Miss Kurosaki, and I’m sure they’re awaiting your arrival.”

 

“My dear lady, do not worry. My son is not dead.”

 

“Mr. Kurosaki?” Sprout-sensei stopped in the middle of walking up the stairs to enter the school. “Sir, I assure you, I’ve seen him with my own eyes. Ichigo is, very unfortunately, dead.”

 

“No Madame. You see, this whole misunderstanding is a bit of my fault. But I’d rather explain this only once, so if you could please show me to the infirmary? That way I could also explain at the same time to the Nurse.”

 

Seemingly worried for his sanity and very doubtful of what he was saying, Sprout-sensei nevertheless answered, “Yes, of course,” and continued leading Isshin to the Infirmary.

 

Upon entering, Isshin saw that there were two women standing by Ichigo’s bed, seemingly in profound disbelief mixed somehow with pity.

 

Huh. Seems like Karin had already tried to tell them that Ichigo was not dead. Oh, Karin-chan!!!

 

Anyways.

 

“McGonagall-sensei. Madame.” Isshin bowed to the two women in greeting before passing them and going to Ichigo’s side. He scanned the body. Yep. Spiritual Pressure residue- there would be none if his soul chain had snapped. Taking advantage of the incredibly rare opportunity of an unconscious-but-not-really-since-he-wasn’t-really-there Ichigo and people who didn’t know what their relationship was like, Isshin gently ran his hand through Ichigo’s messy hair, softly sweeping the bangs off his face.

 

It had been way too long since Ichigo accepted any comfort or kind gestures from him, and as much as he knew that Ichigo was not only a teenager, but also a teenager who had seen and done more than most adults, he still missed his little boy who’d run to his arms at night when he had a nightmare and Masaki was asleep, as he didn’t want to wake her. He missed the little boy who gave him a hug at random moments throughout the day. The little boy who let him pick him up and twirl him around.

 

The little boy who relied on his Otōsan to protect him and his sisters and mother.

 

With a small sigh, Isshin let go of Ichigo’s hair and turned back around to the three women. Now, he must make a believable lie as to why it seemed to all intents and purposes his son was dead when he really wasn’t.

 

“Please, sit down. There are some things I’ve refrained from informing the school about that perhaps I shouldn’t have.”

 

“Shall we go to my office?” Pomfrey-sensei offered.

 

“That would perhaps be best. This is sensitive information.”

 

“Of course.” The women moved away, and Isshin placed the sheet back over Ichigo’s body, but not covering his face this time. He also drew the curtains as he left.

 

Door to the office closed and warded against eavesdroppers, Isshin began his tale.

 

“You see, Ichigo is not dead. Now, please hear me out. I promise all will be explained.” He pre-empted their disbelieving outcries. “Ichigo has...an illness. We haven’t figured out what it is or what causes it, but ever since my beloved wife Masaki died a few years ago, he will sometimes fall into this coma-like state. He is non-responsive and appears to have no signs of living. No pulse, no breath, no heartbeat, blood pressure, etc. I had truly thought that I’d also lost my son- my only son- so soon after my wife died the first time it happened. But it seems to be some aspect of his magic. If left alone, he will eventually wake up- whether a few minutes, hours, or sometimes- rarely, however- days, later. He’s been seen by specialists of every kind and no conclusion has been reached. It had been some time since his last episode, so we thought that perhaps they had gone away, and so I accepted the position abroad here. Ichigo knows he ‘passes out’ sometimes, but he is not aware of how ‘dead’ he seems- I don’t think so, anyways. I would greatly appreciate it if this was kept between the four of us here- my daughter Karin knows of this already, even if she doesn’t like to talk about it- and you don’t spread it about. I’m quite sure Ichigo will take precautions in the future, now that he will know he’s not in the clear- so that this will not happen again.”

 

Isshin mentally patted himself in the back. That seemed quite believable, did it not? He looked at the women, who had expressions varying from shock to pity to regret.

 

“O-of course, Mr. Kurosaki. I must ask, however, that Professor Dumbledore be informed of this.” McGonagall-sensei spoke.

 

“Oh, he already knows Sensei. Not to worry.” shocked and vaguely angry expressions from all three- _heeheee, he’d gotten Dumbledore-sensei in trouble!_ \- “Now, I’ve seen that my son is alright and has no injuries. I shall be taking my leave for now- my other daughter leaves school in just thirty minutes, and I’d really rather that she not walk home by herself. So, if you’ll excuse me ladies,” with an elaborate bow, Isshin let himself out.

 

Hmm...perhaps he could return at dinner tonight? Ichigo was sure to have come back by then...

 

 


End file.
